CHILLICOTHE – What began as a hobby for Katie Fuerst's mother, JoAnne, has become a family business where a craft of earlier generations is finding new ground and adding to Water Street's local shops.

"I always joke around and say that, if the apocalypse happens, we can make clothes for you," Fuerst said.

Unwind A Bit, a shop dedicated to all things knitting, opened two years ago to fill the niche need of yarn sales in the city.

Fuerst said that, even though it was her mother who had the interest in knitting, both thought they could open a store that celebrates local business.

"Mom has been knitting all her life," Fuerst said. "We moved here because my dad got a job as a urologist with Adena, but even he knits to relax."

Although she runs a business, Fuerst is studying political science at Ohio University-Chillicothe so she can one day pursue a law degree and specialize in contract law.

"I want to apply what I learn in law school to business," Fuerst said.

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Olivia Ellingson and her grandmother, Evelyn Vititoe, participate in one of Unwind A Bit’s children’s knitting class as Olivia makes a scarf.(Photo: Caitlin Turner/Gazette)

In the meantime, the shop offers a place for knitters to relax with its quiet atmosphere and classes for all ages in a time when using an iPad is more popular than picking up needles to knit.

"We offer children's classes from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. every Saturday," Feurst said. "Most of the time, the kids who attend are interested, and it's so great because not many of them knew how to do it before. It's very diverse, and we actually do get a lot of kids interested in knitting, so the moms will take a class to help the kids and the kids will sometimes help the moms."

The shop also hosts specialty classes for beginning knitters with unlimited visits until a project the customer has been working on is complete. Fuerst said every final Tuesday of the month is Knit Night with wine and cheese for participants.

Fuerst said the shop is making an effort to attract customers who might not be interested in knitting but enjoy shopping for tea, soap, lotion and other products.

"I think supporting local business is essential," Fuerst said. "We may be a little more expensive than the chains, but we sell higher quality product like alpaca, hemp and wool. We want it to last."